Louis messer



(No Model.)

L. MESSER.

CLASP.

No. 372,164. Patented oct. 25, 1887.

tion.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'LoUIs MESSER, oE NEW YORIQN. Y.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,164-, dated @stoiber 25, 1887.

Application filed September 1, 1887.-' Serial No. 248,528. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, LOUIS MESSER, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in (llasps, of which the following is af specifica- This invention relates toy improvements in clasps for such articles as clothing, purses, bags, receptacles, and the like, whereby a secure closing is obtained, as set forth in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a clasp. Fig. 2 is a section in the plane v x, Fig. 1. j Fig. 3 is adetail plan view of a top plate of a clasp.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a base-plate of a clasp. Fig.'5 is aseclion similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but on a larger scale, and parts being broken away. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a spring. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a detent. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal central section of a modi'tication. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a spring and detent used in the device shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a similar view to Fig. 8, the clasp being ropen. Fig. 11 is a section in the plane y y, Fig. 8.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letter A indicates a base-plate, and B is a top plate. Said plates are jointed to one another so that the top plate can swing on the base-plate. Pivots or pins C are shown secured to the top plate, and by causing said pins to rest against shoulders or in a recess in the base-plate, as seen in Fig. l1, the top plate can swing on the baseplate. A toe, D, projects from the top plate. A spring, E, is secured to the base-plate and acts on said toe. In the drawings the toe D is shown with its free end resting forward of the joint C, so that the action of the spring E on the toeD tends to throw the top -plate to its open position. (Shown in Fig. 10.) To the base-plate is secured a detent acting on the toe D. Said detent is shown in the form of a spring-detent and as consisting of a spring, F, and of a lug or catch, Gr. When the top plate is closed, as seen, for example, in Figs. 2 and 5, the lug Gr rests in front of the free end of the toe D, and thus holds the top plate, B, locked in its closed position.' To open the clasp the lug G is pressed against the resistance of the spring F and away from the toeD until said lug G is clear of the toe, when the top plate, B, is free to open.

To allow the spring-detent to be readily operated to release the plate B, a finger-piece or release, H, is secured to the spring F, and by pressing on said finger-piece the spring-detent F G is moved so as to release the plate B. To the top of the finger-piece H is secured a head, I, which forms a convenient surface on which to rest the finger for actuating the spring-detent F G.

From the base-plate A projects a shoulder or shoulders,K,into the path of the head I, so as to form a stop to limit the motion of the head and of the spring-detent F G. Said springdetent can thus not be actuated to such an extent as to break the spring F, while said detent is free to move sufficiently to lock and release the plate B.

The springs E F, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, can be formed of two pieces of spring metal, each having an eye, L, for the reception of a stud or rivet, M, to secure said springs to the plate A; or, as seen in Fig. 9, the springs E F can be formed from one piece of spring metal.

In Figs. 8, 10, and 11 are shown locks to which are applied the springs EF, formed from one piece of metal, as shown in Fig. 9.

The stud M rises from the base-plate, and said stud is adapted to enter an eye or hole in a portion of an article-such as a garmentwhich is to be closed by said clasp. In place of the stud M rising from the base-plate,a stud might be caused to extend from the top plate; but I prefer a stud extending from the baseplate.

What I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with a haseplate and a. top plate jointed to each other, and a toe d IOO projecting from said top plate, of a detent and aspring secured to the base-plate and made to act on said toe, and a finger-piece for operating said detent, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a base-plate and atop plate jointed to each other, anda toe projecting from said top plate, of a detent and a spring secured to the base-plate and madeto act on said toe, and a stop, K, for limiting the motion of said detent, substantially as Set forth.

4. The combination, with a base-plate and a top plate jointed to each other, and a toe projecting from said top plate, of a detent and a spring secured to the base-plate and made to act 011 said toe, afinger-pieee provided with a head, I, for operating said detent, and a shoulder or stop, K, projecting from the base-plate into the path of said head, substantially asset forth. I

5. The combination, with a base-plate and a top plate jointed to each other, and a toe projecting from said top p1ate,of a spring provided with adetent, G, said spring and detent being both made to act on said toe, substau- 25 tially as Set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS MESSER. fL. s]

fitnessesz W. C. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

